Apparatus for recovering vaporized coolants



July 13, 1954 J c ALEXANDER 2,683,443

APPARATUS FOR- RECOVERING VAPORIZED COOLANTS Filed March 6, 1953 M, 1 Qq IN V EN TOR.

4 Mamas 24222: adder Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING VAPORIZED COOLANTS 1 Claim.

This invention relates to apparatus for recovering vaporized coolant and more particularly to the collection and condensation of vapor generated in the cooling system of the liquid cooled internal combustion engine.

Conventional cooling systems for internal combustion engines employ a radiator through which the coolant is circulated and by which the coolant is cooled and circulated from the heated side of the water jacket of a conventional internal combustion engine to the cooler side thereof. Such systems are usually equipped with an overflow pipe, the intake end of which is usually disposed adjacent the upper end of the radiator so that as vapor pressure is built up within the radiator by the heating of the coolant flowing therethrough such pressure may escape through the overflow pipe. Where the coolant contains anti-freeze mixtures, any vaporization of the anti-freeze is discharged along With other vapors through the overflow pipe to atmosphere and represents a definite monetary loss to the user. In order to overcome this objection efforts have been made as exemplified by Patents 1,612,296, 1,813,677 and 1,574,629 to recover any vapor so generated and to return it in the form of liquid to the cooling system.

While such devices have proven quite satisfactory, problems have been encountered in their use owing to the fact that the vapor entering the condenser will remain therein because of the equalization of the vapor pressure on both ends of the condenser so that the condensed liquid will not enter the reservoir to be subsequently returned to the radiator.

The primary object of this invention is to force the condensed liquid from the condenser into the reservoir by reason of the vapor pressure generated in the cooling system during the operation of the engine.

Another object is to automatically establish communication between the reservoir and the radiator upon the stopping of the engine to permit coolant accumulated in the reservoir to return to the radiator.

A further object is to interrupt communication between the reservoir and the radiator upon discontinuing the flow of electrical energy to the ignition system of the engine and to reestablish such communication when the ignition system is again placed in operation.

lhe above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a reservoir carried above the radiator of a liquid cooled internal combustion valve 25 and return pipe 28 into the radiator.

engine, a condenser carried adjacent the radiator of the internal combustion engine and connected to the overflow pipe thereof and to the reservoir for delivering condensed vapors to the reservoir under the pressure generated within the cooling system during the operation of the engine, a liquid return pipe connected to the reservoir and to the radiator, and a normally open electrically closed shutofi valve in the return pipe between the reservoir and the radiator and electrically connected to the ignition switch of the ignition system of the engine for interrupting communication between the reservoir and the radiator when the flow of electrical energy is established through the ignition system.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of a radiator showing this invention applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the reservoir,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a conventional radiator I 0 such as is commonly employed in the cooling system of a conventional liquid cooled internal combustion engine is equipped with a conventional filling spout or neck l2 which is closed by a conventional radiator cap M. In most instances an overflow pipe 16 communicates with the interior of the radiator Hl through the neck 12 and under ordinary circumstances discharges to atmosphere. In the present instance, theoverflow pipe I6 is connected to one terminal of a condensing coil l8, the opposite terminal of which is connected through a pipe 20 with a reservoir designated generally 22 which is carried on suitable supports 24 by the radiator I0 and adjacent the rear side thereof above the normal level of the coolant in the radiator. As illustrated in Figure 1, the pipe 20 communicates with the reservoir 22 adjacent the top thereof so as to avoid drainage of the condensate discharged into the reservoir back through the condensing coil I8. Communicatingv with the interior of the reservoir 22 adjacent the bottom thereof is one end of a tubular valve body 26 which body is coupled through the medium of a return pipe 28 to the radiator I 5 so that liquid contained within the reservoir 22 may be discharged through the It ll thus be seen that vaporized coolant passing through the overfiow pipe it will be directed through the condensing coil is in which it is converted into liquid and forced by the pressure generated within the cooling system through the pipe 2?) into the reservoir 22 to be returned to the radiator til through the valve 25 and pipe 28.

In order to assure that the vapor pressure generated in the radiator l8 Will cause the condensed liquid in the condensing coils It to be transferred to the reservoir 22, the valve body 26 is provided adjacent its end remote from the reservoir 2i. with a valve seat as, and mounted for longitudinal sliding movement within the valve body is a valve 32 which when moved outwardly away from the reservoir iii engages the valve seat 3% to close the passage through the valve body 25 and thereby arrest flow of liquid from the reservoir 22 t0 the radiator. Mounted within the valve body 26 and engaging the valve 32 is a compression coil spring 34 which normally urges the valv 32 away from the seat 30 so as to establish communication between the reservoir 22 and the radiator i@. In order to move the valve 32 against the eiiort of the spring 34 and seat it employ a winding net the seat .r' one terminal of which is coupled through a con-- ductor 33 to ground while its opposite terminal is conducted through the medium of a conductor lii with the ignition switch designated generally of the ignition system of the internal combustion engine with which the device is used. It will thus be seen that when the ignition switch 32 is closed, the winding '35 will be energized to create a magnetic field in the vicinity of th valve 32, which being constructed of magnetically responsive material is moved against the effort of the spring 3% into closing relation with the valve seat so.

As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the reservoir 22 may comprise an elongated circular cylindrical tank lit having a port 6% extending therethrough which as illustrated communicates with the valve body 26 and at its opposite end the tank M is provided with an opening 38 through which is extended th pipe 2c leading to the condensing coil iii. $uitable vents 58 extend through the top of the tank M to permit the escape of air therefrom during the discharge of condensate thereinto through the pipe 20, and mounted in relation to the top of the tank and err-- tending longitudinally with relation thereto is a baflie 52.

In use with the invention connected to the cooling system substantially as illustrated in the drawings and th% Winding 36 connected to the 533 ignition switch of the engine, it will be obvious that upon closing the ignition switch, the winding will become energized to move the valve 32 and close the passage between th reservoir 22 and the radiator so that as the engine operates, and vapor is generated in the upper portion of the radiator it will be conducted through the pipe H3 to the condensing coil i8 where it will be converted into a liquid and due to the pressure generated within the radiator, the liquid contained in the coil I8 will be delivered through the pipe 2| to the reservoir 22. So long as the engine is in operation the vapor pressure generated within the radiator will act as a lift for forcing the condensed vapor in the coil It into th reservoir because of the fact that the vapor cannot escape through the return pipe 23 into the reservoir 22 through the valve body As soon as the engine is stopped by opening the ignition switch 42, the coil 36 is deenergized, thus permitting the valve 32 to move under the influence of the spring 34 to open position as illustrated in Figure 5 so that the liquid which been delivered to the reservoir 22 may flow through the valve body 26 and return pipe 23 into the radiator.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the structur as described will efficiently convert vaporized coolant into liquid form and will return it as aliquid to the radiator and cooling system of the engine when the engine ceases to operate.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement or" parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

In a liquid cooled engine of the type ha l-- ing an electrical ignition system including i. switch for establishing and disestablishii tlflow of electrical energy through said sY and a cooling system including a radiator having an overflow pipe, means for collecting vapo the cooling system and returning said vapor in liquid form to the cooling system, said means comprising a reservoir carried above the rad, .tor a condenser carried adjacent the radiator and connected to the overflow pipe and to th res voir for delivering condensed vapor to the re voir, a liquid return pipe connected to the reservoir and to the radiator, and a normally open electrically closed shut-off valve in the return pipe between the. reservoir and the radiator and electrically connected to the switch for interrupting communication between the reservoir and the radiator when the flow of electrical en ergy is established through th ignition system.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 283,544 Weston Aug. 21, 1,906,072 Lumsden Apr. 25, 1933 1,920,925 Juchheim et al. Aug. 1, 2,076,031 Kane et a1 s l Apr. 6, 1937 2,267,515 Wilcox et al Dec. 23, 1941 2,546,325 Wasserlein Mar. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 574,387 France July 15, 192% 

